STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1600-26

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2026

RE: H.R. No. 3

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2026

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Public Safety, to which was referred H.R. No. 3 entitled:

"HOUSE RESOLUTION URGING THE GOVERNOR TO TAKE ACTION TO PROTECT TRANSGENDER MEMBERS OF THE HAWAIʻI NATIONAL GUARD FROM DISCRIMINATORY FEDERAL POLICY AND PERMIT QUALIFIED TRANSGENDER SERVICE MEMBERS TO CONTINUE THEIR SERVICE,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge the Governor to take action to protect transgender members of the Hawaii National Guard from discriminatory federal policy and permit qualified transgender service members to continue their service.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaiʻi State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Plus Commission; HOKU Political Action Committee; Pride at Work - Hawaiʻi; Transgender Military Hub; Stonewall Caucus of the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi; Aloha Independent Living Hawaii; and nine individuals.

Your Committee finds that the current presidential administration has imposed a ban on transgender service members in the United States military through Executive Order 14183, titled "Prioritizing Military Excellence and Readiness", which bars individuals with a history of gender dysphoria or who have undergone medical transitions from military service. Your Committee further finds that this policy undermines force readiness; destabilizes unit cohesion; and fuels longstanding waste, fraud, and abuse within the United States Department of Defense by expending time and resources purging qualified personnel.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Urging the Governor to take action to also protect mahu and gender-non-conforming members of the Hawaii National Guard from discriminatory federal policy and permit qualified transgender service members to continue their service; and

(2) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Public Safety that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 3, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to your Committee on Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs in the form attached hereto as H.R. No. 3, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Public Safety,

____________________________

DELLA AU BELATTI, Chair